Tuesday, June 14, 2016 – Edition: #5752

100% Grade A Bull!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
★ Today US First Lady Michelle Obama is hosting a White House summit called the ‘ United State of Women’ to tackle the issue of gender equality. Among the famous females in attendance: Meryl Streep, Tina Fey, Oprah Winfrey, Kerry Washington, “Scandal” creator Shonda Rhimes, “Nashville” actress Connie Britton, model-activist Christy Turlington Burns, and fashion designer Tory Burch. The summit is being staged to address economic empowerment, educational opportunity, health & wellness, and violence against women. The maximum registration of 5,000 attendees was reached weeks ago.
– People.com
★ A Singapore chef is creating an “Orange Is the New Black”-themed restaurant. The pop-up eatery recreating the show’s ‘Litchfield Penitentiary’ cafeteria is open for 2 days only beginning Thursday, just in time for Friday’s 4th-season debut of the Netflix show. The marquee menu item is ‘Nutraloaf’, a gourmet rendition of the show’s infamous inmate fare made with mushrooms, cheddar, quinoa, pumpkin, seaweed, and truffle oil. A blurb for the restaurant on a local online reservation site reads: “Come meet your fellow inmates, wait in line, and stay hydrated with a tall plastic cup of our refreshing house beverage … water.”
– “NY Daily News”
★ And sources connected to Amber Heard’s restraining order case say Johnny Depp will never testify this Friday in court; he’ll take the 5th amendment because he’s afraid he’ll say something that could get him prosecuted for domestic violence. What’s more, Amber’s team doesn’t even believe Depp will submit a written declaration denying domestic violence. Observers say it’s still possible a settlement could be reached that involves each staying clear of the other, as well as money, of course. Amber’s said to be asking for $50,000 a month in spousal support.
– TMZ.com

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Drake – On today’s new ‘Billboard 200’ chart “Views” has scored a 6th consecutive week at #1, a feat which hasn’t been achieved by a male artist in over a decade (since 50 Cent’s “The Massacre” in 2005).
• Iggy Azalea – She’s heading back to her native Australia to take on a new role as a judge on the Down Under version of “The X Factor” (Channel Seven). She’s replacing singer/TV personality Dannii Minogue.
• Mötley Crüe – Tonight the movie “Mötley Crüe: The End” is screening in select cinemas for one night only. The Los Angeles show that makes up the concert film was the band’s finalé to a 35-year touring career.
• Taylor Swift – While having extensive renovations done to her home in NYC’s Tribeca neighborhood where she moved in 2014, she is temporarily moving to a rental in the West Village which costs $40,000 a month. She reportedly plans to stay for about a year.
• TI – He’s expanding his business empire by launching a new strip club in his hometown of Atlanta GA. An estimated 1,600 exotic dancers have auditioned for 100 positions at the soon-to-open V Live venue.

THIS WEEK’S VIDEO RELEASES:
Coming out on DVD, Netflix, Google Play and/or other video providers …
• “Eddie the Eagle” ( PG-13 Sports Biography ): The story of Eddie Edwards, the notoriously tenacious British underdog ski jumper who charmed the world at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary AB. Stars Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, Christopher Walken, Jo Hartley. It seems “Cool Runnings”, about the Jamaican bobsled team, now has a companion movie.
• “London Has Fallen” ( R-Rated Crime Thriller ): In this sequel to the surprise hit “Olympus Has Fallen” (2013), Secret Service honcho ‘Mike Banning’ (Gerard Butler) heads to London to attend the British Prime Minister’s funeral. There he discovers a plot to assassinate all the world leaders that are attending. Co-stars Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett.
• “10 Cloverfield Lane” ( PG-13 Sci-Fi Thriller ): This follow-up to 2008’s JJ Abrams-produced “Cloverfield” is described as a ‘sibling’ to the original rather than a sequel or prequel. After a car accident, a woman is held in a shelter by 2 men who claim the outside world is affected by a widespread chemical attack. Stars John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher.
• Also being released: “Ballers: The Complete 1st Season” (TV); “Littlest Pet Shop: Making Friends” (Kids TV); “Tarzan, Lord Of the Jungle: Complete Season 1” (TV); “Toni Braxton: The Movie Event” (Lifetime Movie); “Underground: Season 1” (TV); “The X-Files – The Event Series” (2016 TV); and “The X-Files – The Complete Series Blu-ray Boxset” (TV).

TODAY’S TEENS:
Teens today are having less sex, drinking and using drugs less often, a new CDC survey says. Among declines in several risky behaviors, a sharp decline in sexual activity stands out to researchers. 41% of teens now say they’ve ever had sex, down from an average 47% over the past decade. Other findings from the survey …
• Smoking – Fewer than 11% of teens smoked a cigarette in the previous month to the poll.
• Drinking – Just under a third had at least 1 alcoholic drink, down from 45% in 2007.
• Vaping – 24% had used electronic cigarettes or vaping products, far more than expected.
• Toking – A little under 22% of teens say they used marijuana in the previous month.
• Popping – About 17% of surveyed students have taken prescription drugs without a prescription. That stat has been declining, but is still alarmingly high.
– AP

THE MURKY WAY:
Researchers have updated a ‘World Atlas’ of light pollution, showing where views of the cosmos are being obstructed by reflected light from population centers. Shockingly, light pollution now affects 83% of the global population to some extent, and 1-in-3 Earthlings can no longer see the Milky Way from their home. When the last such atlas was created 15 years ago, the number of humans who couldn’t see the Milky Way was 1-in-5. 99% of Europeans and people in the US now live under light-polluted night skies. But the worst light pollution in the world is in Singapore, where the sky never gets truly dark, resembling twilight even in the middle of the night. Researchers say the new figures show that humanity is increasingly enveloping our planet in a ‘luminous fog’. (Look in the North sky … it’s the ‘Vague Dipper’!)
– NPR.org

THE NEW GENDER:
‘Non-Binary’ is now a legal gender in the state of Oregon. In what may be a first-of-its-kind ruling in the US, a court has ruled that a Portland resident is officially and legally neither male nor female. The 52-year-old army veteran was born a male but never felt that label fit. Neither did female. He (She? They?) considers himself a mixture of both … a 3rd sex. Thus the term ‘non-binary’. Oregon law allows people to have their gender legally changed but doesn’t specify it has to be changed to either male or female. New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, and other countries already officially recognize genders beyond male and female. (The biggest problem with all of this is … pronouns.)
– DailyDot.com

OVERLOOKED FRUITS & VEGGIES TO GRILL:
✓ Avocados – Can be grilled either as slices or halves.
✓ Green Beans – For shorter beans, use a grill plate or grill basket.
✓ Watermelon – Place thick-wedged slices on the grill for 2-4 minutes for a light appetizer.
✓ Eggplant – Marinate half-inch-thick slices in a vinaigrette for an hour or so before grilling.
✓ Artichoke – For grilling, choose smaller ‘baby’ artichokes and parboil them first.
✓ Peaches – Cut in half, remove the pit, brush with melted butter and place them on the grill.
✓ Asparagus – Grill in a pan or in foil with just a light coating of oil, salt, and pepper.
✓ Pineapple – Cut into wedges, slices, or thick spears and grill until browned on both sides.
– MentalFloss.com

IN SHAPE FOR SUMMER:
According to a recent study, seasonal changes cause body fat to shift location in our bodies, thereby altering the shape of our figures. Researchers say fluctuating testosterone levels drive the shape changes in both men and women from one season to another. (Is that why during harvest season in the Autumn, you begin to look more like a pear?)
– ANI Science & Health

YOU CAN NOW BUY PICKLE JUICE IN A CAN:
To all those who’ve ever sipped pickle brine right out of the jar after the last gherkin was gulped … your time has come. Washington DC-based pickle purveyor Gordy’s has recently launched a line of brine, appropriately called ‘Fine Brine’. The product is meant to be used in cocktails and comes in a shipment of four 12-ounce cans. The juice is the real deal, coming from the company’s Hot Chili Spears, which are made with hot chili peppers and garlic. A rep says the brine is a burst of acid and flavor all in one that brightens cocktails and dishes in a very subtle way. She compares it to adding a pinch of salt. (Drizzle it on your french fries … mmm!)
– TastingTable.com

THE BABY & THE BATH WATER:
Today’s infants are twice as likely to suffer from skin problems as their parents, and one of the reasons is … they’re being bathed too often! Child-care experts advise limiting full baby baths to 2-to-3 times a week. Bathing babes too often can cause skin problems such as eczema and rashes, as well as weaken the immune system, resulting in a higher risk of allergies. A poll finds that 60% of babies are bathed every day, and 20% every other day. In addition, 60% of moms use antiseptic wipes on their tots’ faces and hands, some more than 5 times-a-day. Experts warn that a baby’s skin is 5 times thinner than an adult’s and requires very gentle treatment. (Just a reminder, twice a week bathing only applies to babies.)
– “Sun-Herald”

DID YOU KNOW?
More money is loaded on Starbucks cards worldwide than several banks have on customer deposit.
– “The Consumerist”

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “Bourbon Day”, a day to raise a glass of the sweetened amber spirit to celebrate the splendor of this great whiskey. Most recipes use about 70% corn, which gives it its nickname of ‘corn whiskey’.

• “Family History Day”, a day to ‘share the folklore, legends and myths of your family tree’.

• “Strawberry Shortcake Day”, observed each year on June 14th. Either on a shortcake biscuit or on a sponge cake, strawberry shortcake is an easy and delicious summertime dessert.

• “World Blood Donor Day”, the 11th annual dedicated to thanking and celebrating voluntary blood donors around-the-globe. It occurs on the birthday of Karl Landsteiner, creator of the A-B-O blood grouping system, for which he won the Nobel Prize in 1930.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
2011 [05] The long-delayed, problem-plagued musical “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” officially opens on Broadway in NYC

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
2002 [14] (Sir) Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones is made a knight by Queen Elizabeth II

2006 [10] Shakira kicks off her 99-date “Oral Fixation World Tour” in Zaragoza, Spain (attracts over 2 million fans and grosses over $98 million)

TODAY’S RECORD . . .
2012 [04] Australia announces its plan to create the ‘Largest Marine Reserve in the World’

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] Global Wind Day
[Wed] Nature Photography Day
[Wed] Worldwide Day of Giving
[Thurs] Recess at Work Day
[Fri] “Central Intelligence”; “Finding Dory” open in movie theaters
This Week Is … Meet a Mate Week
This Month Is … Camping Month

BULL’S BITS

BS THINGS THAT HAPPEN EVERY TIME YOU MOVE:
• You procrastinate until you have to pack everything all at once.
• You wish you had kept all those boxes you threw out without a 2nd thought.
• You spend most of your time searching for the end of the packaging tape.
• And a lot more time trying to peel it off.
• You start throwing stuff randomly into boxes and labeling them ‘miscellaneous’.
• Then comes the hard part … moving the couch.
• At your new place, you quickly get used to eating takeout and microwave meals on the floor.
• And for 6 months whenever someone asks for something, you say “It’s in a box somewhere.”
– BuzzFeed.com

BS PHONE STARTER:
☎ Where’s the best place to sit … In a cinema? At a play? At a concert? At a game?